Fruit-cleaning machine



J. R. LITTY ET AI.

FRUIT CLEANING MACHINE Nov. 13, 1928. 1,691,727

Filed March 22, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I'H I i Vv &

-IIIIIH WJTNESSES.- l f INVENToRs:

. 6 ATTRNEY.

Nov. 13', 192s. 1,691,727

- J. R. LITTY ET AL FRUT CLEANING MACHINE Fied March 22, 1927 2 sheets-sheet 2 WITNESSES: v INVENTORS:

.jzizll dlundim d ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 13, 1928.7

y l 1,591,227 i carica.

JOHN R. LITTY AND TRUED B. LUNDIN, OF PHILAELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FRUIT-CLEANING MACHINE.'

Y pplication filed. March 22, 1927. Serial No 177,244.

Another object of our invention is to pro vide improved means for feeding the fruit longitudinally of the screen whereby the efficiency and capacity of the machine will he greatly `increased over those of the ina-- chines now in use. y y

According to the invention, the fruit cleaning machine comprises a frame having a rotatable shaft therein, a cleaning drum Surrounding the shaft, means for delivering fruit and water to the interior of the machine, brushes secured to the shaft longitudinally.thereof with their bristles in contact with the drum, beaters having their outer edges spaced from the walls of the drum, and stems formed integral with the beaters for securing the beaters to the shaft, each beater extending substantially7 the entire length of the drum and making nearly a complete turn around the shaft.

The drawings illustrate an embodiment of Y the invention and the views therein are as follows:

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view through a fruit cleaning machine em# bodying our invention,

Figure 2 is a side view of a conveying` beater forming a part of our invention, and

Figure 3 an end view of the beater shown in Figure 2.

Figure l is a side View, and

Figure 5 an end view of a brush forming a part of our invention.

Figure 6 is an end View, and

Figure 7 a side view of a member, by means of which the beaters and brushes are attached on the main shaftof the machine.

Referring now more particularly` to Figure l, the machine has a frame 10 with a screen 11 suitably mounted therein on which the 'tudinally of the machine,

often removed for the Purpose of' fruit to becleaned is placed` and subjected to a considerable iiow of water which washes he fruit and dirt through the screen 11 onto a diaphragm 12 extending from side to side of frame 10 and sloping downwardly longi- The waterfand fruit are carried down this Yslope into a hopper 13 which leads into a .chamberv 14 communicating with a cleaning` drum 15. y

TheA drum is preferably composed of two cylindrical heads between which are supported a plurality of bars spaced fromone another sor as'to provide interstices therebe- "tween4 for V.the passage of dirt andstems which are removed from the fruit-'by the 70 cleaning process. The drum is suitably clamped in frame 10v withits rear end communicating with chamber 14 andl its forward end connnunicating with an opening 16 below which a chute 17 `is mounted;

rlhe fruit passes from chamber 14 into drum 15, where it is cleaned and moved forwardly as will be'later'described, and passes out .through opening 16 into suitable receptaclesinto which it is guided by chute 17 and by a hood l18 positioned.abovechute 17. The dirt and stems from the fruit, together with the water used in the cleaning process, are

vcaught by a bottom wall 19 which slopes forwardly to a drainl 2O through which the water, dirt and stems are carried into a drain pipe 21. A main shaft 22 is rotatably mounted in frame 10 and 'driven in any suitable manner, as by loose and tight pulleys 23, 'A `series of clamping members 24 are mounted on shaftrQQ and held in selected position by means of set screws threadedin holes 25.

Referring now to all the views simultaneously, a conveying beater 26 is provided with a plurality of stems 27 which are adapted to be inserted in sockets 28 formed on mem- Vbers 24 and are held therein by set screws threaded into the holes 29.

:Beater` 26 is spiral in shape and is preferably made in sections andwelded or brazed together after it hasbeen assembled in members 24 on shaft 22. Two beaters are provided in each mac chine and each beater maires a spiral of nearly 5560 degrt-es as shown in Figures 2 and 3, iivbrush'() is inserted in sockets 31, formed on members 9A: at right angles 'to sockets 2S?` and held in place by set screws.

Beater 26 so positioned in members 24 on shaft 2Q. that a substantal'clearance is provided between its outer edge 32 and the inside wall of cleaning drum 15 in order thatv free from dirtand allowing free passage of the Water and foreign matter between the bars composing the drum.

In operation, a quantity of fruit to be i cleaned is placed on screen 11 and a stream of water turned thereon whichv breaks up the mass of fruit, washes olf the greater part of the dirt and carries the fruit through screen 11 onto diaphragm 12. The flow of water carries the 'fruit down the sloping surace'of diaphragm 12 through hopper 13, chamber 14,' and into drum 15 in comparatively small quantities relatively to the cross sectional area of drum, Shaft 22 is rotating rapidly so that the fru't is caught by beaters 26 and hurled against the inside of drum l5,

thereby knocki'nv the remaining dirt and stems from the trnit, while the' spiral shape of the beaters causes the fruit to be fed for- Wardlyv and delivered through opening 16 and chute 17 into suitablev receptacles. As shaft 22 revolves it carries with it brushes 30 which sweep the inside of drum 15 clean, thus allowing'frce egress of the water, dirt and stems. y

In actual operation, we find that the fruit delivered by our vimproved machine is cleaner and in much better condition than that delivered by other machines in use at present' and that it has acapacity of at least greater than such machines. The machine is l primarily Vdesigned for cleaning raisins, currents and the like and the fruit delivered from the machine is found to be entirely reevof all dirt, grit and stems and comparatively dry.

Of course, the fruit cleaning machine illustrated may be modified and changed in various ways without departing from the the beaters and secured in the clamping mem- Y bers; brushes held by the clamping members at right angles to -the beater stems and disposed longitudinally of the drum, the bristles c of the brushes engaging the inner wall of the drum, and means to rotate the shaft.

2. A fruit ycleaning machine including a iframe, a shaft rotatable therein, means or 'rotating the shaft, a cleaning drum surrounding the shaft, means for delivering fruit and water to the interior of the machine, brushes secured to the shaft longitudinally thereof with their bristles in contact with the drum,

beaters having their outer edges spaced from the walls of the drum, and stems formed integral with the beaters for securing the beaters to the shaft; each beater extending substantially the entire length of the drum and making nearly a complete turn around the shaft.

In testimony whereofwe have signed our names to this specification. Y

JOHN R. LITTY.

' TRUED B. LUND'IN. 

